Differences over key demands cast shadow over US-Iran talks

Uncertainty looms over the potential US-Iran negotiations in Islamabad on Monday after both sides toughened their stance following the seizure of an Iranian cargo ship by the US navy in the Sea of Oman. US President Donald Trump said US negotiators will be in Pakistan on Monday for another round of talks with Iran. But several hours later, Iran had not confirmed it would attend the second round of negotiations. Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Committee, has told the media that Iran will not attend talks in Islamabad unless Washington lifts its blockade of Iranian ports. Trump has threatened to resume strikes on Iran and destroy civilian infrastructure in Iran if it doesn’t take the deal that the US is offering. The fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran is due to expire by Wednesday. A 10-day ceasefire in Israel and Lebanon appears to be holding. According to the Iranian state media, the government is leaning against holding talks with the United States in Islamabad, citing the ongoing US blockade of Iranian ports as a key obstacle. The tensions have been further heightened by the US military’s attack on and seizure of the Iranian ship Touska overnight. State broadcaster IRIB quoted Iranian sources as saying there are currently “no plans to participate in the next round of Iran-US talks”. Earlier, the Fars and Tasnim news agencies cited unnamed sources as saying the “overall atmosphere cannot be assessed as very positive”, adding that the lifting of the US blockade is a precondition for any negotiations. Meanwhile, state-run IRNA pointed to the blockade and what it described as Washington’s “unreasonable and unrealistic demands”, stating that under the current circumstances, there is “no clear prospect of fruitful negotiations. ”

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